2-wire push button station control system for a traffic light controlled intersection
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A control system by which vibro-tactile messages are provided to alert pedestrians when to cross a traffic light controlled intersection, said control system comprising:
- at least one push button station located at the traffic light controlled intersection to be crossed by pedestrians, said push button station including a push button head that is depressed by the pedestrians and message generating means adapted to cause said push button head to vibrate to provide a tactile indication to a visually impaired pedestrian when to cross the intersection; and
a control unit that is responsive to the depression of the push button head of said push button station to transmit to the push button station both power and digital data signals over a single pair of wires by which to power and control the operation of said message generating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A 2-wire control system which communicates with a plurality of pole mounted push button stations of the kind that are found at a traffic light controlled intersection via existing pairs of underground wires over which power and data signals are transmitted so as to enable a visually impaired pedestrian to receive both audible and tactile signals regarding the flow of vehicular traffic through the intersection. The 2-wire control system includes a central control unit that is located at a traffic light control cabinet and is connected to a standard traffic signal light controller. The control unit includes a plurality of 2-wire output ports that are connected to respective pairs of the plurality of push button stations. The central control unit also includes a corresponding plurality of on/off controls and data interfaces by which each of the 2-wire output ports thereof is provided with the power and data signals to be transmitted to respective pairs of push button stations depending upon the entry of a pedestrian request and the illumination of a WALK or DON'"'"'T WALK message.
14 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A control system by which vibro-tactile messages are provided to alert pedestrians when to cross a traffic light controlled intersection, said control system comprising:
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at least one push button station located at the traffic light controlled intersection to be crossed by pedestrians, said push button station including a push button head that is depressed by the pedestrians and message generating means adapted to cause said push button head to vibrate to provide a tactile indication to a visually impaired pedestrian when to cross the intersection; and a control unit that is responsive to the depression of the push button head of said push button station to transmit to the push button station both power and digital data signals over a single pair of wires by which to power and control the operation of said message generating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A control system by which accessible signals are provided to pedestrians regarding the status of vehicular traffic at a traffic light controlled intersection, said system comprising:
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a source of power; at least one push button station located at the traffic light controlled intersection to be crossed by pedestrians, said push button station including a push button head that is depressed by the pedestrians and message generating means by which to provide at least one accessible message to advise a pedestrian when vehicular traffic through the intersection has been halted; and a control unit connected to said source of power to receive an input signal provided thereby, said control unit being responsive to the depression of the push button head of said push button station to control the operation of said message generating means, said control unit including an on/off control and a data interface, the on/off control of said control unit having means by which to monitor the input signal provided by said source of power, said on/off control connecting said push button station to said source of power to energize said message generating means provided that said input signal is above a predetermined level, and said on/off control disconnecting said push button station from said source of power to disable said message generating means provided that said input signal is below the predetermined level, the data interface of said control unit providing data signals to said push button station to initiate said message generating means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A control system by which messages are provided to alert pedestrians when to cross a traffic light controlled intersection, said control system comprising:
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at least one push button station located at the traffic light controlled intersection to be crossed by pedestrians, said push button station including a push button head that is depressed by the pedestrians and a message generator by which to provide at least one message to advise the pedestrians when to cross the intersection; and a control unit responsive to the depression of the push button head of said push button station to transmit to the push button station power and digital data signals over a single pair of wires by which to power and control the operation of said message generator, one of said pair of wires carrying both of said power and digital data signals and the second of said pair of wires connected to ground.
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Specification